In contrast to the protocol this summer, Colorado’s next bar exam at the beginning of 2021 will be a remote test, administered amid expectations of rising COVID-19 infections.

“Traditionally the two-day exam is administered in-person with nearly all applicants in a single room,” the Judicial Department announced on Friday. “The Uniform Bar Exam was not available for remote testing in 2020, but the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) announced on October 19, 2020, that it would make that exam available for remote testing by February 2021.”

Although states employed different approaches to the summer 2020 licensing exam for attorneys, Colorado administered the test as planned, using multiple sites and temperature checks. Other states postponed the exam date, offered it virtually or canceled the test for the year.

Despite the logistical hurdles, Colorado’s July exam had the highest passage rate in seven years.

The Judicial Department disclosed that it was consulting with states that employed virtual exams this year to learn about their procedures and avoid concerns.

Michigan, which was the first state to administer the remote test, also reported higher passage rates than the previous year, although one module was affected by a malicious cyberattack. An analysis of submissions indicated the issue did not statistically affect scores.